Chatham BOE Meets on Eve of School Elections

The holds one final meeting before Chathamites head to the polls Tuesday to vote on the school budget.

The budget, as approved by the board, includes a 2.30 percent tax levy increase for and residents. The increase means an additional $307.34 for borough residents, or $25.61 per month, and $121.71 each year, or $10.14 each month, for township residents.

Funds over the two percent tax levy cap will be drawn from the district's capped banking from past years. By not taxing the maximum allowable levy increase from year to year, the district can draw on those funds in years when they do not have as many exceptions from the cap.

The district can get exceptions from uncontrollable expenses, such as increased enrollment or rising health care and pension costs.

Chatham residents must approve the budget in a public vote Tuesday. Since the borough and township districts merged in 1988, the public has never failed a school budget.

Three sitting members of the Board of Education, , Lata Kenney and are running unopposed to keep their seats.

Personnel Items

Among the personnel action items on the agenda are items abolishing and creating the position of District Assistant Business Administrator/Board Secretary.

The items reflect the resignation of Assistant Business Administrator Kristin Kosky earlier this year, and the hiring of a new replacement. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Michael LaSusa said, "We changed the title of the position slightly, so that is why we had to abolish the one title and update it with another."

Several retirements and resignations are also up for approval by the board, including:

• Rosemary Porpora, English teacher (retirement)
• Virginia Casazza, Chatham High science teacher (resignation)
• Andrew Newcomer, music teacher (resignation)
• Shannon Moran, basic sckills instructor (resignation)
• Kathleen Marsicano, science teacher (resignation)
• Michele DeSantis, Chatham Middle special education teacher

There are also several travel requests from faculty members, a maternity leave and a student teacher position up for approval.

PTO Donation

The Lafayette Avenue School PTO is donating $13,341 to the school for the purchase of several items. The board will vote Monday on whether to approve the donations.

The items donated are:

• laminator, to replace an old laminator: $1,744
• document cameras for new classrooms and special education classroom: $2,548
• isolation headphones for student use in classrooms: $549
• kidney-shaped tables: $4.781.07
• sit cushions:$264.90
• iPod Nanos: $2,605.08
• Heritage Mission arch-back bench: $849.11

The PTO also wishes to donate additional $3,500 for the purchase of young adult titles, biographies and science titles for the Library Media Center.

The Board of Education meets Monday at 7:30 p.m. at .